A Moment Like This
by Siaryst-Dufoli
Summary: With the hopes of sparking romance in Gryffindor Tower, Parvati and Lavender design an annual Christmas season singing contest. HG RHr COMPLETE
1. Parvati's Plan

**A Moment Like This**

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**Chapter 1 – Parvati's Plan**

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**Disclaimer:** As much as we wish we did- we do not own Harry Potter or any of the other characters developed by the brilliant JKR. We're just taking them for a test drive.

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Outside Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, heavy snow twinkled down from a purple dusk sky. In Gryffindor Tower, Ginny Weasley was humming the first few bars of her new favorite song, _Miss Independent_, by Kelly Clarkson. The brand-new diary that her mother had sent her by owl post arrived this morning, and she couldn't wait until after classes, when she could write everything down in it. At the moment, it sat open on her crimson four-poster bed.

_Hmm…._ Ginny thought, waving her quill around aimlessly. _Nothing special happened today…_Her mind wandered back to breakfast that morning. _Wait, now that I think of it… Elizabeth wouldn't shut up about some Slytherin boy, and I was wondering when I could possibly order one of Fred and George's Skiving Snackboxes when she interrupted herself to whisper that Harry Potter was staring at us….staring at me. Me!_

A rather goofy smile spread across her face as she dipped her quill in ink and began to scratch,

_The best thing happened this morning. Actually, two good things happened. I got this diary from Mum, and (hold your breath) Harry Potter was staring at me! Elizabeth interrupted her own conversation with herself to whisper this tiny tidbit of slightly earth-shattering information into my ear. Then, I looked up to see if it was true, (looking back, I find that I am rather like my dear brother Ron, no sense at all) and it was! I saw his eyes widen slightly, and then a blush creep over his Quidditch-toned features. Swoon. _

She paused, and the charmed Muggle stereo on her bedside table sprang to life. The very song that she'd been humming minutes before came blasting on. She was getting ready to go down to the Great Hall for dinner when her dormitory door burst open.

Glancing wearily at the door, Ginny was shocked to see Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown standing gawkily outside.

"Hello," Ginny said cautiously.

"Ginny! We've had the world's best idea! You have to help us!" Parvati bustled in and sprawled out in the armchair in the corner. Lavender followed, but chose to stand nearby, as if she were hoping to blend in with the walls.

"Um, okay. Spill." Ginny gathered up her diary, and shoved it in the drawer of the bedside table.

"Okay. Lav and I were thinking- "here, Lavender waved her hands at Parvati, urging her forward, "- that this year, since it's our last year, our last Christmas at Hogwarts, we should leave behind a tradition, something to be remembered by. So, we came up with an idea to have a singing contest!"

"A what?" Ginny asked incredulously.

"A singing contest! You know, la la la and all of that?" Parvati said hastily. "And, to encourage people, we want to tell the common room right nowthat you're definitely going to take part in it." Parvati looked at the redhead expectantly.

"Me? Why _me_?" Ginny asked, horrified at the very idea. The whole common room would be reduced to snorts and giggles.

"Well," Parvati said slyly, "If you don't, then we'll be forced to send this," She took out a pink envelope from the pocket of her robes, "to Harry."

"Excuse me? What on earth does that say?"

"Oh, nothing. Except for the confession that you talk about him in your sleep, and you sing _Rubber Ducky_ to yourself in the shower."

"Oh, okay. So basically, you're blackmailing me," Ginny said. Her eyes were wide with apprehension now, and she wondered what these two would do to other people to force them into the contest. An image of Hermione in a tutu came floating across her appalled mind, and she gasped in spite of herself.

"So…you'll do it?" Parvati glanced at Lavender, whose brown eyes were shining with glee.

"Hang on, I didn't say that!" Ginny paused. _I'll admit to myself that I talk about him in my sleep, Hermione's told me that already. But what is _Rubber Ducky_?_

"You don't want Harry to get this, do you, Ginny?" Parvati waved the envelope in front of her again.

Ginny sighed. "Fine. I'll do it."

The two older girls shrieked in excitement. "Really?" Lavender gushed. Parvati nodded brusquely, then took Lavender by the crook of the arm and led her out of the room.

_What the hell have I gotten myself into?_

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Harry lobbed his last piece of parchment into the fire with a heavy sigh. "I'll never get this done in time for Thursday."

Across the table, Ron shrugged. "All the more reason for Snape to give you detention, the bloody git."

From somewhere behind a massive pile of assorted spellbooks, Hermione tutted disapprovingly. "RON! How many times do I have to tell you? Professor Snape, even though he is really quite unfair, should not be disrespected."

"Aww, come on, Hermione! He's worst to you and Harry. Why can't you just face the facts? HE'S A GIT!" He said this last sentence with a smug look upon his freckled face, as if he so thoroughly enjoyed making Hermione spit with rage.

"I don't care, he's a teacher."

"So? You didn't have a problem talking about Trelawney." Ron looked over at her expectantly. To his surprise, Hermione agreed with him.

"I suppose."

Harry was about to ask for a spare bit of parchment when Parvati and Lavender came thundering down the staircase, wearing identical looks of anticipation that Harry felt should be illegal, especially when there were people who still had Potions essays to complete. To his utter disgust, they pulled out their wands and cast a Silencing Charm on the common room.

"Could I have your attention for a few minutes, please?" Parvati asked timidly, seeing the looks on the seventh years' faces. Harry didn't blame them; they had their N.E.W.T.s to study for.

"Lavender and I have had an idea that we hope you'll consider being part of. This Christmas we have decided that Gryffindor Tower will hold a singing contest. We wanted to start a tradition for Gryffindor, apart from the one where we beat Slytherin in every Quidditch match of the year."

Lavender reversed the Silencing Charm, as the students were showing various signs of moderate interest. "We are also extremely pleased to announce that Ginny Weasley will be performing."

"What?!? Ginny's in on this, too? Are you mad?!" Ron bellowed. Hermione slapped his elbow, and after that he was silent.

Harry's mind had gone blissfully blank. _Ginny was performing? Perhaps…no, that'd be wayyy too weird. He couldn't tell her, not after everything that had transpired over the summer._

When he'd arrived at the Burrow that past summer, Harry was shocked to find that Ginny seemed to barely care that he was in the same room. Later, after leaving Ron's room because of a quarrel between Ron and Hermione, Harry and Ginny had stayed outside in the garden until two-thirty, talking like old friends.

Truthfully, he missed the blushing and stammering Ginny used to do in his presence. He'd never paid much attention to it before she'd stopped. He often wondered if she didn't like him anymore. It kind of made him feel empty, like he lost a bit of who he was.

Bringing his thoughts back to the common room, he found that his two best friends were staring at him, adorning looks of sympathy.

"What?"

"You looked a bit sad there, mate. Thinking of what might happen if you enter?" Ron chuckled, but was silenced almost at once by a reproving glare from Hermione.

"Harry, I think it's wonderful that you want to enter. Actually, I was thinking of entering myself." Hermione blushed.

Ron gaped at her. "Let's hear you sing, Mione," he said in a croaky voice Harry had never heard before.

"I never said I was entering," said Harry automatically.

"Oh, please do! I'll feel really stupid if you two don't," Hermione begged.

"I will, I guess. If it means that much to you," Ron said, offering his comforting arm to Hermione, who took it hesitantly.

"I don't think so. I'll watch you two, thanks." Harry imagined the two of them doing a duet _finally_ professing their feelings in front of Gryffindor Tower. The thought was comforting.

"If you don't, we'll make sure your life is miserable," said the chirpy voice Harry was beginning to dread. It was Parvati.

He wheeled around in his seat, hoping for all he was worth that the conversation that would probably follow would be one that resulted in his performing in the contest. Unfortunately for him, that's exactly what it turned out to be.

"Promise to us that you'll sing, and we won't give a certain redheaded beauty this." She brandished a red envelope, on which Harry could just make out the name of the addressee. _Oh God! Ginny? What was in that envelope, exactly?_

"What's in there that will persuade me?" Harry asked with a shaky voice. He saw Parvati glance at Lavender with a knowing smile.

"Oh, nothing. Only your colorful confession to her that you love both her and singing the song _Meet Virginia_ in the shower, because it reminds you of her." She smiled smugly.

"You'll what?" Harry felt lightheaded. He could see where they got the idea that he loved her, because for the past few days whenever she walked into the common room he would keep to himself and say absolutely nothing to anyone, but what the hell was _Meet Virginia?_ He supposed that it was a Muggle song- therefore, what with his sheltered life with the Dursleys, he knew nothing about it.

"You heard me. So, are you in, or do I have to say something to Ginny?" Parvati folded her arms across her chest, on which a Prefect badge was pinned precariously.

Harry closed his eyes in defeat. They had him cornered. There was no way out now. He opened his eyes, hoping that she'd be gone. No such luck.

"Okay, fine. But no one's picking a song for me. Not you, not anyone. Got it?"

For a second he thought he had seen a flicker of worry in Parvati's determined brown eyes, but it passed and she held out her manicured hand. "Deal."

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Gryffindor Tower was rarely quiet after ten o'clock at night. But this night, one dormitory light remained on. Ginny rummaged through her trunk, throwing her clothes out and pulling at her hair in frustration.

"What am I going to sing? How, how on bloody earth did I get myself into this mess? Oh, right. I remember now. Harry." Her eyes fell on a stack of Muggle CDs that threatened to topple over. Slowly, she sifted through them.

_Kelly Clarkson, Black Eyed Peas, hmmm….what's this? _ She had come across a blank case. Sighing, she opened the case and slipped the CD into her portable CD player, which Hermione had so graciously charmed to work properly inside Hogwarts. The music drifted into the headphones, and Ginny found herself wondering, _who is this?_ A strong voice followed, and after listening to the words, Ginny knew she'd found it; the song that she would sing in front of every Gryffindor declaring her feelings for Harry Potter.

She fell asleep with a contented smile on her face, right there on the floor of her dormitory, with her headphones still playing her song.


	2. Harry's Song

**A Moment Like This**

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**Chapter 2 – Harry's Song**

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_Giggles escaped her mouth as she twirled around the dance floor. Her red hair flew in all directions, but she didn't seem to care. She looked up at him with adoration, and he could feel himself smiling down at her. The music played in and out of focus. He suddenly had the urge to hear the lyrics, and found himself straining to hear them. _

I can love you like that

I would make you my world

_People crowded around them, dancing with their own partners, not paying them any mind. Harry felt frustrated all of a sudden. He wanted to scream at the music, he wanted to hear the words clearly...._

Move heaven and earth if you were my girl

_There! What was that? He looked down again, and saw Ginny staring at him, as if she were waiting for him to say something extremely important. He opened his mouth, but the words didn't come out. _

I can love you like that

I would make you my world

Move heaven and earth if you were my girl

Harry sat straight up, glasses dangling from his nose. Through the curtains, he heard faint music, and he assumed that either Seamus or Dean had gone off to breakfast and left their bewitched stereo on. Groaning to himself about nuisance dorm-mates, Harry got out of bed, and walked over to Seamus' bedside table. Sure enough, the stereo was on. He reached over to push the off button, but the familiarity of the chords stopped him.

Move heaven and earth if you were my girl

He froze. This was the song from his dream. He sat dazedly on Seamus' bed, listening carefully. Even in his half-awake trance, he could tell that this song was exactly what he'd had in mind when he lay awake for nearly four hours thinking about what to sing. This was it.

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Harry found his way to breakfast without looking like a complete idiot- all he could think was**,** _What__ was I thinking?_ _Letting Parvati trick me like that! I bet there wasn't even anything written in that bloody envelope. Duh. _He slid into his place beside Ron, who was staring at his hands. _Hmmm....Ron staring at his hands?__ Where's his food? He should be eating fifths by now..._

"Ron? Are you feeling okay?" Harry asked, shoveling eggs and kippers onto his own plate before looking up at his pale-faced friend.

"Just wonderful," was Ron's reply. He paused. "Why did I tell Hermione that I'd sing?"

"Dunno. Maybe," Harry said with a wicked grin, "it's because you fancy her! Imagine that!"

Ron grunted. "I guess."

Harry was shocked. "You mean you're not going to curse me into next week for even mentioning that? Hmmm.....Perhaps I should egg you on a little, " he continued, holding up a forkful of egg for emphasis, "because if you do decide to curse me into next week, this whole production will be over, and I won't have to sing at all." He looked hopefully at Ron.

No reply. Then-

"Good morning, Ron! Harry!" Hermione plopped down across the table from them, and immediately buttered herself some toast.

"Morning, 'Mione," said Ron. He was suddenly much more lively than before.

Harry gaped at him. "Okay," he said, elbowing Ron in the ribs.

"Ow! You nutter, what are you doing? Going around elbowing blokes like that!" He rubbed his side pathetically.

Harry stifled a full-blown grin as he said, "Really, Ron. Acting so pathetic and helpless in front of the one girl you-" Ron clapped his hand over Harry's mouth- "Mphmmhm," he finished.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at them from over the top of her Daily Prophet. "Excuse me?"

Reluctantly, Ron removed his hand from Harry's mouth. Harry stuck his tongue out at Ron before smiling cheekily at Hermione. She continued to stare at them, took a sip of pumpkin juice and surveyed them both over the rim of her goblet before going back to her newspaper.

After finishing his last bit of toast, Harry followed Hermione to Transfiguration, occasionally pushing Ron into suits of armor in retaliation. _He didn't really notice, _Harry realized. _Hermione is in front of him. Of course he's not going to notice that he's wandering around the bloody castle with a helmet on his head._

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Hermione was mulling over her History of Magic essay when Ginny bounced into the Great Hall, singing under her breath. Realizing that that night was the singing contest, Hermione said as Ginny slid onto the bench beside her, "What were you singing?"

"Hmm? Oh, just this song that I heard on the radio in the shower this morning. It's a really cool song." Ginny didn't skip a beat when Harry and Ron showed up; she looked up at them and said, "Hi Ron. Hi Harry."

Ron mumbled something about the contest, but Harry replied with, "Hello. Is the bread any good?" Ginny looked at him skeptically. "Dobby would sometimes send me bread over the summer. Sometimes it wasn't bad, but most of the time-" he pulled a face. Ginny giggled.

"Ginny, who was that song by?" Hermione asked impatiently. She knew full well why Ginny hadn't bothered to answer the first time- Harry. Duh.

"Hmm? Oh, the song. Right. It's the Dixie Chicks, by Cowboy Take Me Away." She paused, then blushed crimson. "I mean, the song is 'Cowboy Take Me Away,' by the Dixie Chicks. Sorry, "she added in an undertone.

Hermione grinned, then whispered, " Harry Potter, Harry Potter, Harry Potter!" She ducked as Ginny made to swat at her playfully. The two boys looked at each other incredulously. It was their turn to raise the eyebrows. Hermione caught a glimpse of this, and started to giggle uncontrollably. This set Ginny off, which left Harry and Ron amidst a pack of hyenas.

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Half an hour after dinner on most normal nights, Gryffindors could most likely be found lolling around in the common room, playing chess, Gobstones, or Exploding Snap. This particular night, the seventh year boys' dormitory was about to be hit by a deadly tornado. Tornado Ron.

Harry staggered up the stairs with the hope that he could at least convince Seamus to let him borrow the CD he'd heard the song on, but found the dormitory in a right state. He found Ron on the floor next to Dean's CD tower, with four or five CD cases clutched in his hands.

"Harry," he croaked. "You've got to help me, mate." He gestured to the piles around him. "Sit down and start looking for a song." He consulted a piece of parchment. "Find the case labeled Toby Keith. This bloke says 'How do you like me now?' Kinda sure of himself, that one."

Harry stood and slipped the CD into the stereo. Instantly, the song blared over the surround-sound speakers that Seamus had installed. "Too flashy," said Ron, crinkling his nose.

They spent a quarter of an hour listening to random songs before Harry looked over at Ron and said, "D'you know what you want to be expressing?"

Ron looked away fairly quickly, and Harry was quite sure he was hiding a blush. "Yeah," he said. "I want to tell Hermione how I feel."

If Harry hadn't been so keen to give Ron the help he needed, he would have felt the need to say, "It's about time!" So, with the prospect of an empty dormitory in mind, he said nothing other than, "Really?"

They rummaged around the dormitory for another quarter of an hour before Ron croaked out, "That there's the one." Harry felt himself smiling in spite of himself. Seeing this, Ron asked worriedly, "D'you think she'll like it?"

"Knowing 'Mione, she'll flood the place before you can actually say that it's for her," Harry grinned.


	3. The Contest

**A Moment Like This**

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**Chapter 3 – The Contest**

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"Hermione, I don't think I'll be able to do this!" Ginny wailed. She wrung her hands nervously while pacing back and forth in the seventh year girls' dormitory, where she and Hermione were getting ready for the contest. They'd decided to wait and wear their new dress robes the next night, which was both Christmas and the day of the ball.

"Calm down, Ginny. If you do, I'll tell you a secret." Hermione sincerely hoped that this would keep Ginny's thoughts from wandering to the contest. It did.

"What? Tell me, please! I promise on my wand that I won't tell a soul!" Apparently, Ginny had a liking for secrets. "Please? Pretty please, with those funny red fruits on top?"

"Okay, okay, calm _down_!" Hermione smiled.

"Well?" Ginny looked at her with her hands on her hips.

"Okay...I heard," Hermione said lowly, "that Harry is singing a song about his feelings for something...or someone." She winked suggestively, and Ginny gasped.

"You're not thinking...no! It must be someone else...are you sure?" She looked at Hermione closely.

"Ginny- I've been one of his best friends since first year. I think I'd know when I'm right."

_Yeah, and you're also the smartest person in the school,_ thought Ginny. But she didn't dwell on that. "Did you hear what...what his feelings are?" She sounded hopeful.

Hermione shook her head sadly. "No. Only that, and I got it from Ron, so perhaps it's not entirely reliable." They both laughed.

Ginny looked at her watch, and said with a groan, "Almost time. Where's Elizabeth?"

"I'm here!" came a voice from the bathroom. Hermione put her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

Ginny answered, "Well get your Scottish butt out here- we've got five minutes 'till it starts." Somewhere behind the oak door, Ginny was sure she heard a gasp of surprise.

Elizabeth entered the dormitory seconds later, wearing her bathrobe and a shower cap. Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"Um, why aren't you dressed? Ginny said that you entered."

Elizabeth laughed. "No, no. This is my costume. I'm singing _Rubber Ducky_ for Fred and George. They owled me a couple days ago," she added when she saw Ginny's confused face.

"Okay," Hermione said, sounding businesslike. "I'll just use the loo and we can go downstairs." She bolted for the bathroom.

Pressing her ear to the door, Ginny asked, "Are you okay, Hermione?"

No answer. Then- "Yeah," she heard Hermione croak. "I'm okay."

She emerged a few minutes later, looking a little pale. However, she smiled at Ginny and Elizabeth, and led them downstairs to hear Parvati walking onto a makeshift stage. "Here we go," she said.

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"Ron! Where are my shoes?" Harry was panicking. His glasses were askew from flopping on the floor and sticking his head under each and every bed, looking for his shoes. Ron had taken them to go to the Owlery to give Pigwidgeon some Owl Treats, but they hadn't come back.

"I dunno. I left 'em right there," he pointed to a pile of robes. Harry dove, throwing the robes backwards.

"You okay?" Ron asked from under three different colored robes that had flown at him unexpectedly.

"Just ducky. When I find my damn shoes, I'm going to chuck 'em at your bloody head."

"Ooh, touchy, touchy, touchy!" Ron peeled the robes off his freckled face just as Neville came skidding in the door.

"Harry! Ron! Parvati says it's time!" He looked worriedly from one to the other. Harry was tying his shoes hastily. Ron, on the other hand, turned a sickly shade of green.

"Tttime? For...for the contest? Already?" He looked pleadingly at Harry, who shrugged.

"You're the one who got yourself in this mess." He put on a surly voice. "If you want, I'll do it, 'Mione. I'd do anything for you, you know!" He grinned as his taunting caused Ron's face to go from green to deep scarlet in ten seconds.

"Shut up, you," Ron growled. "Or else the whole dorm will know about you and...other members of my family."

Harry stared. "You wouldn't dare." _He wouldn't do that, would he? Not to me, at least. I hope._

"Okay, then. Keep your mouth shut, and I'll keep mine shut." He turned, and held open the dormitory door. "You coming?"

"I guess. Now or never."

* * *

"Can I have your attention? May I present the host of the singing contest, Miss Lavender Brown!" The crowd of Gryffindors clapped loudly as a seemingly nervous Lavender in lavender silk dress robes stumbled out from the girl's staircase.

"Good...Good evening. I am Lavender Brown, and I will be presenting the contestants tonight. First up, is Elizabeth Cole, singing _Rubber Ducky!"_ More clapping.

Closest to the stage, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, and Harry clapped the loudest. Elizabeth might have looked absolutely ridiculous, but she sang well.

"You were great!" Ginny exclaimed when she joined their group.

"Thanks. When're you up?"

"Not until number five. Wish me luck!" Ginny turned, and was swept into a dual hug by Hermione and Ron.

Hermione whispered into her ear, "Go get 'em." Ginny looked over Hermione's shoulder at the one person she would have given anything to hug. Harry. Their eyes met, and Ginny saw a blush creeping up his neck.

"Good luck," he whispered. Ginny grinned.

"Thanks, everyone. See you later!" She disappeared behind the makeshift curtain. As soon as she was out of sight, Ron turned to Harry.

"If you don't go through with it, mate, you'll regret it." Harry nodded slowly. "I'm serious," Ron continued in a barely audible voice, "If you don't say anything tonight, some other bloke will. And I don't want that to happen-" he said hastily, seeing the look on his best friend's face "-because that would mean that I would have to pummel him, and I don't want to get all dirty before I go up onstage." Ron grinned. "Actually, it's probably better that it's you that likes her, because I wouldn't have to bloody you up, just tease you mercilessly for the rest of your life."

"Thanks a lot," Harry said hotly, regaining some of his color.

Hermione poked him in the spine and hissed, "Shut up, you two. Ginny's up now!"

Harry and Ron stopped bickering long enough to see Ginny slide through the gap in the scarlet curtains, dressed in dark blue Muggle jeans and a green shirt that Ron guessed she'd picked out because it matched Harry's eyes. He glanced sideways at Harry, and was pleased to see that he was blushing again.

"H-hi, I'm Ginny Weasley, and I'll be singing _A Chance_." She looked around nervously until she found that swath of red Weasley hair next to a mop of black hair. She grinned in spite of her nervousness.

Hermione crossed her fingers as she smiled up at Ginny expectantly. Harry couldn't help but notice the way she'd steal glances at Ron once every five minutes. He hoped they'd say something, or he might take drastic measures and lock them in a broom cupboard until they'd snogged.

The music started, and the whole tower took out their wands and lit them, swaying back and forth to the slow beat.

'**Boy, don't you know it's all I can do**

**To keep my hands off of you**

**Anytime you're around**

**And when the stars come out at night**

**I dream of holdin' you tight**

**Everytime**** I lay down**

**It feels so good to me to have you this bad**

**The only other thing I wish I had was**

**A chance**

**A chance**

**To tell you how I feel about you**

**How it feels to live without a chance**

**A chance**

**To tell you I'll love you forever**

**Knowing that I'll never have a chance**

**Sometimes reality hurts**

**And you wonder if life's worth living at all**

**Knowing no matter how much you care**

**You'll never have a prayer**

**Of having what you want**

**At least I've been close enough I could taste**

**Beauty at it's best but never a trace of**

**A chance**

**A chance**

**To tell you how I feel about you**

**How it feels to live without a chance**

**A chance**

**To tell you I love you forever**

**Knowing that I'll never have a chance**

**A chance **

**A chance**

**To tell you I'll love you forever**

**Knowing that I'll never have**

**The chance'**

Even though the applause was so loud Harry couldn't tell what Hermione and Ron were saying, and they were right next to him, he couldn't help but think,_ Oh my God. Did Ginny Weasley just say what I think she said? To me? _He looked over again at Ron and Hermione. They were staring at him, but averted their eager gazes at the last second.

Harry was in such a daze that he didn't notice when Ginny came back and settled herself in between Hermione and Elizabeth, and Ron hurried backstage. When his best friend took the stage moments later, Harry found himself thinking, _When__ did he leave?_ He shrugged, more to himself than to anyone else.

Ron walked through the curtains, and fell flat on his face. He picked himself up quickly, turning beet red in the face. He mumbled, "Sorry, slipped on my robes."

Everyone laughed heartily. He looked helpless, but Hermione gave him an encouraging smile, and he took the microphone in his hand.

"I'm Ron Weasley, and I'll be singing _Unbelievable_. I also," he said with a mischievous glint in his eye, "want to dedicate this song to the most unbelievable girl I know, Hermione Granger."

Hermione gasped as the spotlight shifted from Ron to herself.

'**She's so kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable**

**She's a mouthful of anything and everything a man could want**

**She ain't typical, she's unpredictable, she's available, it's a miracle**

**How my heart stumbled into someone so kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable**

**Up 'til now my life has been so lonely and boring**

**I never thought I would find someone so**

**Elegant, intelligent, heaven sent, all my money spent**

**I put a big down payment on that itty bitty diamond ring**

**She's so beautiful, it's indisputable, it's undeniable, she's got-to-havable**

**She's music to my ears and makes my heart sing, so**

**Kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable**

**There's**** so many things **

**I want to tell her**

**Like I love her**

**But every time I talk **

**I start to stutter**

**She's so elegant, intelligent, heaven sent, all my money spent**

**I put a big down payment on that itty bitty diamond ring**

**She's so beautiful, it's indisputable, she's got-to-havable**

**She's music to my ears and makes my heart sing, kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable**

**Kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable**

**Kissable, huggable, lovable, unbelievable**'

Ron finished, and Lavender Brown walked over to Hermione and Ginny and handed Hermione a large bouquet of enchanted red roses. Hermione blushed to the color of Ginny's hair, but didn't say anything. Then it was her turn.

Stepping up to the microphone, Hermione said, "I'm Hermione Granger-" loud cheering "-and I'm singing _Cowboy Take Me Away_, for Ron Weasley, the only cowboy in orange."

Ron's mouth dropped open after she said that and Harry nudged him with his elbow.

'**I said I wanna touch the earth**

**I wanna break it in my hands**

**I wanna grow something wild and unruly**

**I wanna sleep on the hard ground**

**In the comfort of your arms**

**On a pillow of bluebonnets**

**In a blanket made of stars**

**Oh it sounds good to me I said**

**Cowboy take**** me away**

**Fly this girl as high as you can**

**Into the wild blue**

**Set me free oh I pray**

**Closer to heaven above and**

**Closer to you closer to you**

**I wanna walk and not run**

**I wanna skip and not fall**

**I wanna look at the horizon**

**And not see a building standing tall**

**I wanna be the only one**

**For miles and miles**

**Except for maybe you**

**And your simple smile**

**Oh it sounds good to me**

**Yes it sounds so good to me**

**Cowboy take**** me away**

**Fly this girl as high as you can**

**Into the wild blue**

**Set me free oh I pray**

**Closer to heaven above and**

**Closer to you closer to you**

**I said I wanna touch the earth**

**I wanna break it in my hands**

**I wanna grow something wild and unruly**

**Oh it sounds so good to me**

**Cowboy take**** me away**

**Fly this girl as high as you can**

**Into the wild blue**

**Set me free oh I pray**

**Closer to heaven above and**

**Closer to you closer to you**

**Closer to you**

**Cowboy take**** me away**

**Closer to you**'

The crowd of Gryffindors cheered as she walked offstage and was replaced by Colin Creevey. Toward the end of his song, Hermione poked Harry in the spine again and told him that it was almost time for him to go up. Harry felt sick to his stomach. He smiled weakly at Hermione and Ginny. Right before he ascended the stage, Ron grabbed him by the arm.

"Now or never, Harry. Don't break my sister's heart." Harry nodded.

He closed his eyes, and began to sing, not caring who heard him- Malfoy could come and listen for all he cared- all he wanted to do was tell Ginny how he felt, as she had.

'**They read you Cinderella**

**You hoped it would come true**

**That one day your Prince Charming would come rescue you**

**You like romantic movies**

**And you never will forget**

**The way you felt when Romeo kissed Juliette**

**And all this time that you've been waiting**

**You don't have to wait no more**

**I can love you like that**

**I would make you my world**

**Move heaven and earth if you were my girl**

**I would give you my heart**

**Be all that you need**

**Show you you're everything that's precious to me**

**If you give me a chance, I can love you like that**'

Ginny was awestruck._ Is he saying...?_ She looked over at Hermione, and she nodded. Ginny couldn't believe it. Harry Potter?

'**I never make a promise**

**I don't intend to keep**

**So when I say forever**

**Forever's what I mean**

**I'm no Casanova**

**But I swear this much is true**

**I'll be holding nothing back**

**when**** it comes to you**

**You dream of love that's everlasting**

**Well baby open up your eyes...**

**I can love you like that**

**I would make you my world**

**Move heaven and earth if you were my girl**

**I would give you my heart**

**Be all that you need**

**Show you you're everything that's precious to me**

**If you give me a chance, I can love you like that**

**If you want tenderness**

**I've got tenderness**

**And I see through to the heart of you**

**If you want a man**

**Who will understand**

**You don't have to look very far**'

Ginny was grinning stupidly. She was sure this was what Hermione had meant. _Or was it?_ She so desperately wanted to know, once and for all.

After the last performer finished, Lavender took the stage once more. She wore an enormous smile on her face.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and Ron." The crowd laughed uproariously as he tightened his arm around Hermione. "We are pleased to announce the surprise of the evening. We drew two names out of all of the performers that stood here tonight-" she gestured at the stage around her "- and took the liberty of arranging a song for them. These two individuals haven't a clue that they have been picked, so, without further adieu, put your wands in the air for Miss Ginny Weasley and Mr Harry Potter, who will be singing _Someday_."

Ginny looked past Hermione and her brother to look at Harry. He had a skeptical look on his face.

"Did you know about this?" he asked her. Ginny shook her head. "I guess we'd better go up, then," Harry said shakily. They walked up and found themselves staring at the song printed out on a stand in front of them. The music began.

'**I wipe the tears away**

**As I give up this day**

**Wonderin****' if I'll ever find someone**

**An' when I close my eyes an' dream **

**These are the words I'm whispering**

**Someday, love will come**

**I won't have a doubt**

**My head up in the cloud**

**And certain as the mornin' sun**

**I will always believe**

**There's somebody just for me**

**Someday, love will come**

**Someday, after all these nights of waitin'**

**An' someday, I'll find the chance worth takin'**

**An' saving me**

**From waking up alone**

**My heart will find a home**

**Someday**'

Harry looked at Ginny with a smile. She looked so cute, with the dimple showing on one cheek when she smiled. He suddenly wanted time to stop, to tell her openly that he loved her.

'**An****' she'll be so beautiful**

**The sweetest miracle**

**Someday, love will come**

**Someday, after all these nights of waitin'**

**An' someday, I'll find a chance worth takin'**

**Saving me**

**From wakin' up alone**

**My heart will find a home**

**Someday**

**An' when I close my eyes an' dream**

**These are the words I'm whispering**

**Someday, love will come**

**Someday, love will come**'

Through the blinding light that shone from nowhere, Harry could see the weeping outline of Professor McGonagall. Apparently, he realized, she'd heard about the contest and decided to have a peek. His insides shriveled up at the thought. Then he remembered that Ginny was standing next to him, and pushed all doubt and worry to the back of his mind.

* * *

The after-show party was fully underway when Harry decided to work up the nerves to say something to Ginny about the ball. Next to him, Hermione and Ron were exchanging words and grinning like fools.

Noticing his best friends' silence, Ron tore his gaze away from Hermione and said seriously, "Mate, Ginny's right over there with her friend Elizabeth. Go on, ask her to the ball. We know you want to, no use denying it." Hermione nodded in agreement.

Harry nodded. He didn't trust his voice, his mouth was so dry. Hermione noticed this, and gave him a small hug.

"Go on. It's not that hard."

Harry wanted to shout at her, 'Yes it is, you two just got lucky this time around! Remember how hard it was for me to ask Cho?', but couldn't make himself do it. He had just made up his mind, voice or no voice, he was going to talk to Ginny Weasley when, halfway across the common room, Colin Creevey approached Ginny and, by the looks of it, asked her for a private word.

Harry slumped back to the table and collapsed in his vacant chair with a sigh of disgust. _Why hadn't I just done it when they told me to? Now she'll probably go to the ball with Colin. Colin._ He sat up. Would she go with Colin? Yes, he answered. He's nice, and hasn't ignored her for six years. He wanted to cry.

* * *

Ginny was laughing with Elizabeth and another sixth year named Jamie when she saw out of the corner of her eye that Harry was walking towards her. She fell silent immediately, praying that he was going to ask her to the ball. Then, for some reason, he turned around with a look of pure disgust on his face. She looked wildly around, trying to locate the reason he turned around, but only saw Colin.

_Colin._ She wanted to scream at him for coming over to her in particular, and asking for a private word. Reluctantly, she followed him outside the portrait hole, bracing herself for what was so obviously yet to come.

Colin gave Ginny a small smile. "Ginny? Could I ask you something?" Inside her head, the little voice was moaning,_ Here we go, this is it, he's asking me to the ball. How do I let him down easy? Could I possibly say, 'I'm sorry Colin, it's just that I've been waiting for Harry Potter to ask me, that's all, so I can't really go with you?' No, that would sound too mean._

Her somewhat flustered voice said, "Sure Colin."

* * *

**A/N:** Colin Creevey, you bum. **Why d'you say that? Colin's cool. 'Course, he did literally attack Harry with his camera in make a fool out of Harry around Lockhart. What's not to like? **… **Don't answer that.** Yeah, that's what I thought. **Well, he grows on you.** Umm, okay. Your love life, not mine. **I DO NOT HAVE ANY ROMANTIC FEELINGS WHATSOEVER FOR COLIN CREEVEY! My heart belongs to Oliver Wood.** Eye candy. Mere eye candy. Harry is better. Much better. **Don't know what you've been eating, but I know a hot British person when I see one. And I saw Ollie.** Harry's better, Wood looks like Dudley next to him. **TAKE THAT BACK! TAKE IT BACK RIGHT NOW OR I'LL…I'LL...** You'll what? Jump up and down screaming 'Seize her!'? HA! Allow me to scoff! **That's very impolite, Dufoli.** Scoff, scoff. **Dufoli…** Scoff. -Siaryst & Dufoli


	4. The Question

**A Moment Like This**

* * *

**Chapter 4 – The Question**

* * *

Colin cleared his throat nervously. Ginny cringed. "Ginny, I was wondering..." _Here we are, the Question. What do I say? _She came back to earth as Colin said, "...with me?"

Ginny sighed. "Colin, I'm sorry. I like you, but only as a friend. I hope this won't change anything between us." She silently prayed that he would understand. What she didn't expect, however, was for Colin to laugh at her.

"Ginny? Are you okay? Did you hear anything I just said?" Ginny shook her head. Colin threw his head back and laughed some more. Ginny could feel her temper getting the better of her, and her face growing hot.

"Well, I'm sorry! I don't think it's very nice to laugh at someone because they..."

Colin toned his laughter down to chortling, and said with a grin, "Ginny. I wanted to know if you'd mind asking Elizabeth to the ball for me." His eyes gleamed as he said that last. "You don't mind that I want to go with her, do you?"

Ginny found herself laughing out of relief. "No, no, of course not! Oh Colin, I thought you wanted me to go to the ball with you! It's just," she lowered her voice, " I've been waiting for Harry to ask. Not that I expect he will, but all the same..."

"Ginny. He's going to ask you. The whole boys' dormitory knows." The gleam had left Colin's eyes now, and was replaced by the serious tone in his fairly deep voice. "And, for my sake, whether you want to go with him or not, say yes." He gave her a small smile. "It'd break the bloke's heart if you didn't."

Ginny gaped at him. _Harry's going to ask me? _She grinned. "Thanks, Colin." She linked arms with him and walked back through the portrait hole to her group of friends. "Elizabeth! Come here for a second."

* * *

Harry glared at Colin as he and Ginny walked back in, arms linked. Beside him, Ron and Hermione didn't know how to cheer him up. Ron had looked like he'd wanted to go over and have a few words with Colin, but seemed to have decided against it. Harry wished he would have.

"Harry, you should probably stop making faces at them and congratulate them or something," said Hermione. She looked worried that he would turn around and yell at her.

"You do it if you want, I'm not," Harry spat. _Why can't they see how horrible this is? _Ron leaned over just then, with a look of concern on his face.

"Look, Hermione and I'll go over there, just to make sure that it's true. Okay?" Harry nodded dully. Hermione gave him one last scared look before linking arms with Ron and walking across the common room.

Harry watched them as they sat down with Ginny's friends and talked in low voices. Ginny looked up, and saw him staring. Harry looked away hurriedly; he didn't want her to think he cared. He could have sworn that Ginny had given him the slightest of smiles before turning to Hermione and Ron.

Minutes later, Hermione and Ron came back with silly grins plastered on their faces. Harry found himself wanting to curse them into next week, to wipe those stupid grins off their faces. He slumped back in his chair and asked listlessly, "Well?"

"Oh, Harry, you can stop the act. Ginny's not going out with Colin," Hermione said giddily. Harry looked up skeptically.

"She's not?" His heart leapt. _If she's not going out with Colin, then why did he have to talk to her so badly?_ "What do you mean, she's not going out with Colin?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, you prat." Ron chuckled at Harry's expression. "Colin wanted her to ask her friend Elizabeth to the ball for him, he's too much of a wimp to do it himself." He lowered his voice so only Harry and Hermione could understand what he was saying. "Now, you git, get your sorry butt over there and ask my sister to the ball already. It's sickening how you two make googly-eyes at each other, but don't do anything about it."

"You're one to talk," Harry replied hotly. Of course, he was right. Ron and Hermione wouldn't have gotten together if Ron hadn't dedicated his song to her in the first place.

"Shut it, you." Ron looked embarrassed now. Harry couldn't help but notice the way Ron's arm tightened around Hermione's waist. Harry laughed; a sound that neither Ron nor Hermione had heard for a few days. He hoisted himself to his feet.

Turning to look at them, he said seriously, "If she turns me down, I'm going up to my dormitory. You two can put in a good word at my funeral. Okay?" His friends laughed. Harry straightened his robes, then started over to Ginny.

* * *

Everyone was congratulating Colin and Elizabeth when Ginny dropped a dish of Canary Creams. "Whoops," she said, scrambling to pick them up. When she straightened in her seat, Ron and Hermione were headed their way. _Probably to congratulate Colin,_ Ginny thought. Sure enough, Ron sat down next to Colin and began making conversation. Hermione offered her best regards, then stooped to talk to Ginny.

"He's been worried that it was you," Hermione whispered. Ginny felt her face getting hot. She looked over at the table where the trio had sat seconds before. Emerald green eyes stared back at her. She smiled to herself. "Ginny! Don't look over there!" Hermione hissed.

"Sorry," Ginny said, lowering her eyes. "Second nature."

Hermione tutted softly. "Not surprised." Ginny laughed.

"And what of you, my friend, who keeps making puppy eyes at my brother?"

Hermione chose not to acknowledge Ginny's statement, as she and Ron rose from the table that second. Ginny turned her attention back to her friends. She had barely gotten a word out of her mouth when she heard a short bark of laughter. _Harry. _She knew the sound anywhere. _Ron probably said something stupid,_ she thought. What surprised her the most when she brought her eyes up was Harry coming towards her.

_Harry. Coming towards me. _Her brain shrieked in excitement. She tried to remain calm, but for some reason, whatever Harry might say to her might send her over the edge.

"Hey." _Smooth. Very smooth. That's all I could come up with? What am I, some sort of..._ Ginny was horrified. Luckily, Harry didn't seem to notice. Or care.

"Hi. Listen, Ginny, can I talk to you for a minute?" Harry's eyes darted around nervously. Ginny couldn't help but think he was more adorable when he was nervous.

"Sure." She stood up, and, just as she and Colin had done, went outside the portrait hole. Harry faced the wall, his hands behind his back casually. Ginny's breath caught in her throat. _Was he going to...?_ He turned around, this time facing her. His face was contorted with a struggle between fear and anxiety.

"Ginny, I'm really glad I got to know you better over the summer. Over the past few months, though, it's been hard for me to approach you at all. The singing contest, well, I wouldn't have entered if it hadn't been for the combination of you entering and me being blackmailed. I found out that it was the perfect way to let you know how I felt about you. But when Colin took you aside, I thought that he had beaten me to asking what I'm about to." He took a deep breath. "Ginny Weasley, will you go to the ball with me?"

_He asked me! Harry Potter asked me to the ball! Why haven't I said anything yet? Move! Open, mouth, let the words 'Oh Harry, I've loved you since forever, of course I will' come pouring out. Why haven't I said anything? Am I going mad? Am I nutters now that, finally, he's admitted that he likes me? Oh dear! He's waiting for an answer- just do it!_

"Harry! Of course I will." _There. That wasn't so hard, now was it?_

He looked relieved. "You mean it?" He paused. "Because if you don't want to, then that's fine. I mean, I just..."

Ginny interrupted him. "Harry. I mean it. I'd love to go with you. I've been waiting for you to ask ever since my stupid prat of a brother told you I would go with that year, my third year, when I went with Neville." She smiled.

_There's that wonderful dimple again,_ Harry's brain screamed at him. _She's smiling, I should be jumping for joy...no, that'd look completely stupid, oh, what do I do? _He fought to gain control of himself.

"That's great! I mean, I'll meet you in the common room tomorrow night, okay?" His insides were shriveling. How could he sound so ridiculous? He forced a wavery smile.

Ginny grinned. "Harry," she said, eyes glinting with the trademark Weasley mischief, "you look like Ron's set after you with his wand. It'll be okay. If you want, I'll tell him."

Harry opened his mouth, then closed it. Maybe it would be better if she told him, even if he already knew. "Okay. I'll be under my Invisibility Cloak in the Owlery, if you need me."

Ginny giggled. Face scarlet, she stood on her tiptoes and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you," she whispered in his ear. On his way to the Owlery, Harry couldn't help but grin from ear to ear, even after he tripped over that mangy dustbin of a cat, Mrs. Norris.

Up in the dropping-strewn tower, Harry ran the evening's events through his mind one last time. He remembered the look on Ginny's face when she was searching the crowd. His face burned as he pictured her face, smiling the peculiar smile she had bestowed upon him before starting her song. With that last image in mind, Harry fell asleep in the Owlery, with Hedwig perched on his knee.

* * *

Ginny smiled to herself as she pushed past the Fat Lady. Harry Potter had just asked her, Ginny Weasley, to the ball. Not Cho, not Hermione (even though she would think that her brother would go nutters if he did), but _her._

Entering the common room, she scanned the crowd for her gaggle of friends. She spotted them over by their favorite painting of Godric Gryffindor (in which he is dressed in his best armor, arm around Helga Hufflepuff). She moseyed on over to them, hands in her pockets. She didn't feel like telling them just yet, even though she had to fight extremely hard to keep from grinning.

"Hey Ginny," Colin greeted her. He was sitting on a scarlet couch with Elizabeth, both grinning.

"What happened?" asked Elizabeth. She flashed Colin a look of worry. Ginny laughed.

"You guys! I can't keep anything from you anymore, especially now that you've teamed up! What happened where?" she teased.

Colin rolled his eyes dramatically. "Gin, I believe you were talking to your Prince Charming outside the portrait hole?" Elizabeth nodded emphatically.

Ginny glared at them. Elizabeth jumped up and threw her arms around Ginny, saying, "Oh Ginny! We both knew he would never stop being so dense! I'm sure you feel horrible, but it'll pass."

Ginny played along, faking soft sobs. "Oh Lizzy! It's horrible! I have nothing to wear!" She cracked an evil smile into Elizabeth's shoulder.

"I know, I - wait a minute, did you just say, 'I have nothing to wear'?" She held Ginny out at an arm's length, eyebrows arched.

Ginny said, "Yeah, I did." She sniffed. "Harry asked me to the ball, and I have nothing to wear!"

"What do you mean, you're going to the ball with Harry?" Colin asked incredulously. He had a look on his pale face that reminded Ginny solely of her brother Ron. Speaking of Ron, that reminded her of something.

"Listen Colin, Elizabeth, I've got to go talk to Ron. I'll be back soon, hopefully. If not, send a search party after me. God knows how nicely Ron'll take this little bit of information."

Her friends gaped after her. "Did she just...?" spluttered Colin, wide-eyed.

"Yup, I think she might have," Elizabeth said as she sank onto the dilapidated couch. "She's telling Ron about Harry."

* * *

"Ginny, that's great!" Ron gave her what he hoped to be a supportive smile.

"O-okay, who are you, and what have you done with my brother?" She whipped out her wand and pointed it between her brother's eyes.

Eyes crossed, Ron raised his eyebrows. "Gin, d'you mind? Harry told me before he asked you. And, being the great older brother that I am-," he grimaced, "- I have decided that I won't beat him to a bloody pulp. Okay? That do?"

Ginny looked from him to Hermione, who was sitting barely a foot away from him. She nodded. Ginny raised _her _eyebrows, gave the older girl a quizzical smile, and turned on her heel, saying over her shoulder, I'm going to go tell him that he's safe. He's hiding in the Owlery." She pushed through the Portrait hole and out of sight.

"Mental, that one," Ron said, resting his head on Hermione's shoulder. "I know I used the same sentence to describe you at one point, but personally, I think it fits her better."

* * *

**ZagZig722: **Good question. You'll find a complete list of songs that we refer to at the end. Wherever that is.

**GinnyPotter08: **Well, we _love_ cliffies, so- you'll probably see more of them. Cheers!

**JamieBell****: **This is just the beginning of our fanfiction reign. Soon we will be unstoppable!


	5. Before the Ball

****

A Moment Like This 

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Shopping**

* * *

Elizabeth was asleep, feet propped against one of the far posts on her bed. What she didn't know, in her unconsciousness, was that she would be awoken very shortly.

"Lizzy! Get up! Get up! It's Christmas!" The screeching voice of her best friend, Ginny Weasley, was the last thing Elizabeth thought she wanted to hear at seven o'clock in the morning. Especially when she hadn't gone to sleep until ten thirty or so, what with the excitement of having someone to go to the Yule ball with. Elizabeth smiled groggily, recalling the events of the night past. All she remembered was Colin's blushing face when Ginny explained why she had gone outside the common room. Ginny. Elizabeth put the name and the cacophonous voice outside her curtains together. _They belong to the same human, you dolt! _snickered the voice in her head.

"Up? I'm up, I'm up! Where's the fire, Gin?"

"Huh?" Ginny's face appeared on the other side of the curtains, looking quite skeptical.

"It's - oof!" Elizabeth attempted to stand, but was unable to because of her sheets being intertwined with her legs. Therefore, it was only fitting that she land on the floor in a heap. "It's a Muggle expression; my dad says it a lot. So, why am I up at the crack of dawn with an escapee from the asylum?"

Ginny giggled as she unknotted her friend's sheets. "It's not the crack of dawn," she said, tugging at a particularly large knot, "but it's close enough for you, it's seven. Besides, how can you sleep at a time like this?"

"At a time like what?" Elizabeth growled. Finally free of the sheets' grasp, her pajama pants were bunched up and her unruly black hair was a mess. It looked like Fawkes, Professor Dumbledore's phoenix, would have been quite comfy perched atop her head.

"Liz-zy!" Ginny whined. "How could you forget?" She looked at Elizabeth incredulously. Elizabeth was casting around in the empty space she called her brain when, the light bulb flickered.

"The ball! Duh!" Elizabeth slapped her forehead, grinning stupidly. Her favorite hobby in the world, shopping. How on earth could she have forgotten? _Aah__,_ the smug voice in her head began, _It's probably because of a certain fair-haired bloke. Someone by the name of Clyde? Charlie? Cooper? _"Colin," Elizabeth corrected herself.

"Yes, Colin will need his hair done...huh?" Ginny glared at her friend. "Since when did Colin need his hair done?"

"Sorry Gin, I'm having an argument with the nasally voice dominating my thoughts," Elizabeth said without thinking. _Geez__, d'you have to hang around? You get me into trouble._

Ginny laughed. "Uh-huh, and you were saying _I_ escaped from the asylum?" She held up a pillow threateningly. Elizabeth sprang into action- she pulled the pillow off her bed and whacked Ginny in the face. Ginny swung her pillow around and whacked Elizabeth in the side, making her crash to the floor, giggling.

When their laughter had finally subsided, Ginny propped herself up on her elbows and turned to face a ragged-looking Elizabeth. Squinting at the pile on Elizabeth's head, Ginny said, "Before we go into Hogsmeade, I think perhaps we should visit the shower. Your hair looks awful, Lizzy."

"I know," Elizabeth moaned. "It feels like Dumbledore's bird napped in it, quite cozily, I might add. Not a pretty feeling."

"How would you feel if Colin saw you looking like this?" Ginny teased. To her delight, Elizabeth's face turned pale at the thought.

"Ughh, I think he'd rather go to the ball with the giant squid." She stood. "Okay, Miss Weasley. The troop to Hogsmeade departs in t-minus thirty minutes."

Ginny saluted her, threw her pillow at Elizabeth, and laughed as she skidded into the safety of the bathroom.

* * *

"Where are they?" Hermione wondered aloud. She checked the new silver watch that her parents had sent her, now currently adorning her wrist.

"What's wrong, 'Mione? Is your entourage...late?" Ron snickered from behind her. She whipped her head around, only to come face-to-face with the now blushing redhead. He smiled warmly at her, pleased to see that she, too, was blushing fiery red. "You, Ginny, and Elizabeth loose in Hogsmeade, shopping," he pondered. "I feel bad for anyone that stumbles across your path."

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed.

He shrugged. "I'm serious. Ginny can get feisty if anyone annoys her."

Hermione nodded, relieved that he hadn't meant that towards her, which was what she originally thought. Then, with a sly grin, she asked coyly, "And what of the other two?"

Ron looked at her in surprise. Then, with a look of his own, he said, "Well, I don't know Elizabeth very well, even though she spent two weeks at our house this summer, except for the fact that she's going to the ball with Colin. And that other girl, Hermione," he began, eyes twinkling, "I've known her all of my life here at Hogwarts, and in those seven years, she has yet to not reprimand me and Harry for breaking the rules and then turn around and break them herself. So, with that in mind, she could be a little dangerous. Not that I mind, of course." He slid his arms around her wrapping her in a strong embrace. This caused her to look around the common room, to make sure they weren't being watched by first-years.

"Ron! You could have traumatized any poor first-years walking through the portrait hole! As Head Girl I shouldn't be doing this in the middle of the common room..."

Ron chuckled. "So, what you're saying is, you want to go somewhere more...private?" He winked suggestively.

Hermione made vain attempts to scowl at him, but his glittering eyes made it impossible. She sighed. "Ron..."

"I'm just having fun, 'Mione. So, I'll see you tonight, right here?" he asked. Hermione nodded. He grinned, squeezed her gently, then went back up to his dormitory. As soon as he left, she sank down in her favorite chair, ginning to herself.

"Don't think we didn't see that, 'Mione," Ginny said, bounding down the stairs in a fashion that reminded Hermione of her Muggle next-door-neighbors' dog, Chewy. She paled.

"You saw that?"

"Yup yup," Elizabeth said. She put on a deep voice. "You, Ginny, and Elizabeth loose in Hogsmeade, shopping," she began. Ginny burst into giggles upon looking at Hermione's face.

"Okay, you two," she said sternly. "We have exactly three hours left of the Hogsmeade trip. We have to get dress robes, or..." she paused, "…suffer the shame of being an Outfit Repeater!"

Ginny and Elizabeth gasped impressively. "Not..." Ginny said, horrified.

"An..." Elizabeth crowed.

"Outfit Repeater!" They chorused in utter surprise.

"Stop being so dramatic, Ginny! It's important, especially when we're going out with...who we are," Hermione said. "And besides, the whole school will know after tonight!"

Ginny stopped laughing. She considered the older girl's words. "Y'know, you're right. I want to look good, especially when the Mal-ferret will probably make some stupid remark."

"When have I ever let you down, Gin?" Hermione asked proudly.

"Well, there was that time that we made brownies, and you swore up and down that you knew exactly how to make them..." Ginny joked. Hermione's face fell, remembering the brownies.

"Never mind! Forget I asked."

* * *

"How do you like these?" Hermione pranced out of the dressing room wearing dark red dress robes that had a faint trace of lace at the ruff and cuffs.

Elizabeth wrinkled her nose in distaste. "No offense, 'Mione, but they make you look like a vampire. Besides, they'll clash with Ron's maroon."

Hermione groaned. "He's got maroon robes? That's the worst color to match with!"

Ginny shook her head sympathetically. "Yeah, I see your point. Maroon would be too much, white would make it seem like you wan to marry him-" she stopped. "Please don't say anything in response to that, I beg of you! -Black would make you resemble the Mal-ferret…what other colors are there?"

"There's yellow," a voice from behind them said in a mock-sneer. The three of them whipped around- It was Fred Weasley.

"Fred? What're you doing here? Where's...oh." Ginny threw her arms around her brother, and stopped mid-sentence as she glanced over his shoulder. George had appeared, holding short daisy-yellow robes with a mandarin collar and silver edging.

"Try these, Hermione."

"When Harry gave us his Triwizard winnings he made us swear to get Ron some new dress robes. So, naturally, we had to pick something that made Malfoy look like rubbish. He's got brandy-new midnight blue robes that're lined with forest green silk." Fred said heartily. "He also made us come here looking for you so we could put our ickle Ronniekins' girlfriend in smart robes as well."

"Those are silk, 'Mione, so make sure you don't trip and fall tonight when you wear these," George interrupted, brandishing a pair of matching heels. Hermione gasped.

Elizabeth grinned. "So I guess Hermione's got her robes. That only leaves-"

"You and Ginny. We know." said Fred as he motioned to George.

"Colin sent word that his robes are going to be red. So, that leaves you with these." George held out cream robes that were embroidered with glittering beads.

"Oh!" Elizabeth ran into the dressing room.

"You'd better chuck these in there with her," Fred sighed, handing Hermione matching slippers.

"So, what have you two got for your sister?" Hermione asked curiously.

Fred looked at George nervously. "Well," George said timidly, "We tried to find out what color Harry's robes are, but he wouldn't tell us."

Ginny's smile faded.

"But," Fred continued with a smile, "We gained access to Gryffindor tower, with help from Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs, and did a little trunk-shopping." Next to him, George grinned.

"You what?" Hermione gasped.

"My dear Hermione, do not worry your pretty little head about unimportant matters! We didn't get caught, and you'll look fabulous at the ball tonight, thanks to our help."

"Gin Gin," George said, using his baby name for his sister, "we, your brothers, would like to introduce you to your robes."

He and Fred held out a dream of pale lavender silk. They had flowing see-through sleeves that were tapered into a point were the soft fabric of the robes met the translucent part of the flowing half.

"We thought that they'd compliment Gin Gin's sweetheart's green robes nicely, "George commented.

"Yeah, that and a nice contrast with her hair." Fred chortled.

"Speaking of which," George muttered, shoving the robes at Ginny and rummaging in his pockets, "we meant to give you these before the school year started." In his hand were three slips of heavy parchment.

**Rosewood Spa**

**hair**

**makeup**

**manicures**

**pedicures**

**beauty consultation**

**Present this coupon at any of our**

**locations and receive a free**

**Rosewood™ treatment**

****

**Diagon Alley, London**

**Place de Grieves, Paris**

**Main Street, Hogsmeade**

**24th Street, New York**

**Red Square, St. Petersburg**

"Fred! George! How on earth did you get these? These must cost at least thirty Galleons each!" Hermione's eyes bulged as they reread the parchment.

"Yeah, well..." Fred stammered.

"Come off it, Fred," scolded George. "Doing something nice for a change isn't going to tarnish our reputation of being insufferable. Unless these three want to be walking advertisements for Weasley's Wizard Wheezes?"

The girls shook their heads quickly.

"Fred, George, I can't accept mine." Hermione said.

"What?" they said.

"I'm sorry. You've given us more than enough today."

"Hermione, consider it seven years' worth of Christmas gifts. If we'd known that Ron would be marrying you someday, we might have considered getting you something. As for Ginny and Elizabeth, consider these apologies for the frog spawn incident." George said briskly. Fred nodded.

"Thank you!" The girls moved as one, throwing their arms around the two boys.

"Don't -mention it," Fred choked out.

"Yeah. Please don't, for your own sakes." George wrenched himself away, then brushed off his dragon-hide jacket.

"Merry Christmas!" They Apparated out of the shop.

"Wow," Elizabeth said.

* * *

Still in a daze, Ginny found herself sitting in a velvet chair, being fawned over by seven extremely talented beauty witches. One was fussing over what she referred to as 'an amazing complexion'; another was acting as the messenger, fetching the products to be administered. Three of them were taking locks of her hair and twisting it around into possible hairstyles, and two were putting polish on her nails. Next to her, Hermione and Elizabeth were getting the same treatment.

"Remind me never to say anything mean to Fred and George again," Elizabeth said, stretching her legs. The woman attempting to polish her toes looked annoyed as she tried to chase the girl's wriggling feet around.

Hermione giggled. "Lizzy. Stop moving your toes."

Elizabeth looked down and stared at the top of the woman's head. "Oh, okay. She's probably had a time of it, chasing my feet around, hasn't she?"

Ginny looked up from the issue of Teen Witch she was skimming through and wriggled her eyebrows at Elizabeth. "You think?"

The woman down on the floor, extremely grateful that Hermione had told Elizabeth to stop moving, spoke up. "Well, it was getting quite impossible to paint her toes without smudging the polish."

The witches fiddling with Hermione's mane of brown curls finished their work, and stepped away from the mirror to admire the effect. Hermione was in awe.

"Is that...me?" she squeaked. Her hair had been twisted into a knot, most like the one she'd donned during the Yule ball during her fourth year, only it was sprinkled with silver glitter. There were two matching chopsticks worked into the center of the knot, and they glimmered in the mirror cheerfully.

"Wow 'Mione!" Elizabeth said, impressed. "Ron'll never know what hit him."

Ginny giggled, and raised her eyebrows suggestively at Hermione, causing her to blush.

"Stop it, Virginia!" Hermione put much emphasis on using her full name. Ginny winced.

"Okay, you win."

"I always do," Hermione said, matter-of-factly. "Which is the reason your brother is wrapped around my finger."

* * *

The three girls emerged from the spa a few hours later, and immediately bumped into a few of the older girls from Hogwarts- Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zambini, who were gazing wistfully into the windows. As soon as she recognized who had just walked out, Pansy sauntered up to them casually.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the Weaslette, the Brain, and Bird's Nest. Fancy seeing you, of all people, walking out of Rosewood Spa. What did you have to sell? Your house? If you could call it that." Pansy smirked at them.

Ginny had every intention to let loose with her best Bat-Bogey hex, but she didn't realize that next to her, Hermione was positively burning.

"Pansy. That's a lovely sweater you have there. Where did you get it?" Ginny gaped at her friend. She sounded like she was...trying to be nice to...to..._Pansy Parkinson_.

"It's from the Enchanting Wardrobe collection on Place de Grieves in Paris." She smiled widely, revealing perfect, if not a bit rodent-like, teeth.

"Oh. I was only wondering because...it would be _such_ a shame to...let my wand slip." Hermione flicked her wand casually, and the perfectly crisp green and silver mohair sweater that Pansy was wearing proudly changed into a hand-knitted mess of murky browns and moss greens that reminded Ginny of Crabbe and Goyle's dress robes.

Pansy shrieked. "You...you..."

"Witch?" Hermione smiled.

Pansy was spitting with rage.

"And," Hermione continued, her smile growing wider, "you won't be able to get it off for a while."

At that, the three Gryffindors linked arms, swinging their shopping bags as they walked back to the castle, laughing gaily.

* * *

"Harry, have you seen my robes?" Ron was screaming from the bathroom. Harry cracked an eye open slowly. _This is painful- I settle down for some shut-eye before the ball, and this git's yelling about roses? Roads? Robes. Yeah, makes sense...ball, robes. _

"Huh?"

"Have you seen my new robes?" Ron's normally deep voice had reached the highest of it's few octaves.

"No...did you look in your trunk?" Harry slid out of his bed, and promptly fell on his face, sending his glasses under Seamus' bed.

"Here they are...have you ever gone to the eye doctor? I think you need glasses." Harry thrust the robes into the bathroom, then reached under the bed for his glasses.

"Doctor? Muggle nutters with saws? I hardly think so. Hermione told me that before she knew she was a witch, she wanted to train to be one of those things." He shuddered. "Yup, I'm never trusting my life in the hands of those characters." He stepped out of the bathroom, wearing the robes. "What d'you think?" he asked nervously. "Never mind...I don't want to know what you think. What do you think?"

Harry laughed. Then, pulling a face of mock-seriousness, he said, "Turn around."

He did, slowly revolving on the spot.

Suppressing a snort, Harry said, "Now the other way."

Ron obeyed, but if he found this strange, he didn't mention anything.

"Well, your shoulders are a bit broad for the silk, your hair...well, you can't escape that, now, can you?" Enjoying the expression of anger and surprise forming on his best friend's face, Harry went on. "Your eyes are a bit too bright for the color, your arms a bit too skinny...anything else I haven't mentioned so far?"

Ron glared at him. "Tosser."


	6. A Moment Like This

**A Moment Like This**

* * *

****

**Chapter 6 – A Moment Like This**

* * *

****

It was the evening of the Yule ball, and havoc was spreading in the sixth year girl's dormitory of Gryffindor Tower. Shrieking and scrambling for the bathroom upset so many people that those who dared snuck into the prefect's bathroom (password courtesy of Hermione) or up the boy's staircase to use _their_ bathrooms.

Ginny Weasley was one of the lucky ones who had snagged a bathroom when she had the chance. While everyone was fighting over who was next, she slipped under an arm and shut the door before the others realized what had happened. She snickered to herself when she heard the pounding of outwitted girls.

"Ha ha! That's what you get for fighting!" She stepped into her new robes, and gasped softly. Even though her hair clashed horribly with almost anything she tried on, Ginny had to hand it to her brothers. The color lavender they had gotten was perfect. She slipped the shoes on, and fastened the bracelet her mother had given her when she was six. A small silver heart dangled precariously from the delicate chain.

When she opened the door again to walk out, four girls fell on the floor. Apparently they had been leaning against the door, fighting to get in, in spite of the clever Locking charm Ginny had placed on it. However, she was so dazed that she didn't notice them at all, and walked over them.

"What's up with her?" a blonde named Clarisse wondered aloud.

"Oh, haven't you heard?" answered a short brunette named Fiona. "She's going to the ball with Harry Potter."

The door opened, and Hermione walked in, wearing her robes and struggling with the heels. "Enough, you two," she shot at the two gossiping girls. "Don't you have robes to get into?"

Clarisse and Fiona exchanged dark glances. "You must be Hermione. Aren't you going with Ginny's brother Ron?"

Hermione stopped, and spun around. Immediately the two began to laugh hysterically. Hermione glowered at them, then drew out her wand. The two stopped abruptly.

"What're you going to do, curse us?" Fiona asked. They burst into giggles again.

"No, but I _am _going to give both of you detention for not listening to me," Hermione answered calmly.

"You can't do that! You're not Head Girl!" Clarisse looked outraged.

"Actually, I am Head Girl." Hermione flashed them her badge, which was pinned on the inside of her collar. "Any other questions?" She smiled sweetly. They shook their heads. "Okay, then. Go on, go get ready for the ball."

Turning to Ginny, who was still wearing a bemused expression on her pale face, Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Gin?"

No answer.

"Ginny?" Hermione waved her hand in front of Ginny's face. Slowly, Ginny looked at her. "Are you okay?"

Ginny nodded. Then, without warning, she strangled Hermione with a hug and shrieked, "I'm going to the ball with Harry Potter!"

Hermione, still recovering from the shock, managed to pry the younger girl from her neck. "I know, Gin. I was there, sort of, remember?"

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." Ginny lowered her eyes.

"S'okay. C'mon, makeup!" Hermione gestured to a Rosewood bag. Ginny's smile brightened. They rummaged around in the bag until they found their respectable bottles and spread them out over Ginny's bed.

Elizabeth joined them shortly afterward and plopped herself down on the bed. Next to her, Ginny was collecting all the bottles with green caps and Hermione gathered the ones with red caps. After their makeup had been sorted, Hermione insisted on doing Elizabeth's makeup in front of the mirror above the only vanity in the dormitory, while Ginny fixed her hair.

When they were done, Elizabeth's unruly mane had been straightened and swathed with cream-colored flowers. Her eyes were illuminated by the subtle green eye shadow and black mascara.

"Wow," she said, twirling a strand of hair between two of her manicured fingers. "My hair looks great!" The three laughed- if her hair looked okay, it wouldn't matter if she was wearing Hagrid's moleskin coat.

Hermione led Ginny to the vanity next, and motioned for her to sit on the stool. Ginny closed her eyes, and let her two closest friends set to work. When they were done, Ginny heard Elizabeth squeal, a muffled voice, then Hermione saying, "Okay, you can look now."

* * *

"I can't go out there!" Neville moaned. He sunk to the floor, head in his hands. Harry looked over at Ron, who shrugged. Harry shook his head sadly. A week ago, Neville had come bouncing into the dormitory, disrupting the peace in which Harry and Ron were trying to put together a particularly nasty essay for Snape they had left a bit too long, boasting about how he was going to go to the ball with a pretty sixth year girl named Clarisse. Now, he clearly regretted opening his mouth in the first place.

"Come on, Neville. Remember how you stood up to me and Ron in our first year?" Harry certainly hoped that the memory would persuade Neville to proceed with his plans.

"Y-y-yes." Neville sniffed.

"Well, how bad can this ball be? In fourth year you went with my sister, and she's a girl, too." Ron added; Harry shot him a look. "Sorry, Harry."

"Neville, I'm sure that Clarisse is looking forward to the ball as much as you were," Harry said. "If you stand her up she'll be pretty angry with you."

This seemed to encourage Neville a bit, for he rose from the floor and settled himself on his bed. "H-H-Harry, I can't dance."

Ron snorted.

"So what?" Harry answered. "I can't dance either, and I still want to go to the ball."

Neville looked up. "Y-you do?" Harry nodded firmly. Neville wiped his face, and stood up. "Well, okay. I guess it would be mean to ask her, then not show up, eh?" He smiled weakly.

"Come on, we have to leave." Ron checked his watch. "It's almost time to go down to meet the girls." Neville made attempts to lock himself in the bathroom, but Ron and Harry took him by the shoulders and led him down the stairs.

Ron was about to start pacing a hole in the floor when he looked up and saw Hermione. He almost fainted. Harry turned around, and his eyes widened behind his glasses. _Wow,_ thought Ron. _I thought she looked good for the first Yule ball. Compared to that, this is nothing. _She made her way down the stairs slowly, carefully making sure that she didn't trip. When she got nearer to the bottom, Ron held out his hand to help her down the last few steps.

"Hermione," he said shakily. "You...you look great." She beamed. "Thanks, Ron. You look pretty good yourself. I like your robes. I always thought blue fit you the best." He grinned at her. She walked over to Harry.

"Hermione..." Harry said, running his hand through his hair. "I mean, wow." She giggled, then whispered, "Wait 'till you see Ginny. She'll be down in a few minutes." Harry groaned.

"Hey, I heard that," Ron said sternly. "Now, I don't want to hear about you and my sister leaving the ball early to come back here to snog, you hear?" Harry raised his eyebrows at him.

"And I don't want to hear about you two snogging in a broom closet fifteen minutes into the bloody ball, either." Harry watched with a smile as Ron's face went pink.

There was a commotion at the top of the stairs, and Harry's head snapped up. One by one, a gaggle of girls met their dates with various comments coming from all directions. Parvati wearing robes of black with a white feather boa; Neville's date, Clarisse, in pink; a brunette named Fiona in green, and Ginny's friend Elizabeth in cream, with flowers in her hair. She walked over to them with Colin.

"Ginny's still upstairs. She'll be down in a minute." She winked, then strode off with Colin.

"That's what you said just a second ago," Harry complained. Ron was about to ask if he was going to see the Great hall while he was still in school when he glanced over Harry's shoulder.

"Harry," he stammered. "Turn around."

Harry slowly turned around, and saw Ginny standing at the bottom of the stairs. Her trademark Weasley hair didn't look so bright anymore; on the contrary, against the pale lavender of her gown it looked stunning. It was drawn into long ringlets that fell past her shoulders, and held in place with a silver tiara. Harry crossed the room in a single stride, and took her hand.

"Hi, Harry." She smiled. _Don't look at the dimple, don't look at the dimple! Remember how you lost all knowledge of how to speak clearly when dealing with the dimple! _Harry cleared his throat nervously.

"Ginny, look you beautiful." He blushed. "I mean, you look beautiful. That's what I meant to say."

"Thanks, Harry. You look great!" He looked down at his robes. They didn't seem so good-looking.

"Thanks." He glanced around for Ron, but he and Hermione had already left. "Er, d'you want to go down?"

"Sure. It looks like we'll be the last ones there." _I could _kill _Hermione and Elizabeth! _

* * *

When they reached the Great Hall, they found themselves amidst what looked like the whole school. Most of them were dancing already, but over near the makeshift stage where a singing group called Charmed were performing, Harry saw Ron, Hermione, Elizabeth and Colin.

"Hey, there are your friends. Want to go over and sit with them?" Harry asked Ginny. She seemed to be slightly in awe of the decorations, and didn't answer.

"Ginny?" Harry asked again. He tried waving his hand in front of her face.

"Huh?" Ginny said. Harry laughed, and after realizing what he was laughing at, Ginny joined him. They made their way through the crowd of people dancing, and saw Neville and his date Clarisse to their right. Harry could see Clarisse wincing every time Neville stepped on her toes, but she was smiling all the same.

They had almost reached the table when someone blocked their path. Ginny looked up in surprise. It was Draco Malfoy.

"What do you want?" Harry growled. Ginny held his hand tighter.

"Temper, Potter. The little Weaslette won't like you getting angry, "drawled Draco, his eyes glittering with malice. His eyes fell on Ginny. "She seems to look almost civilized for someone living in a hovel."

Ginny's face flushed with anger. _Hovel?_

"I'll see you later, Potter. Weaslette." He glided away, black robes billowing as he walked.

"I'm sorry about him," Harry said uncomfortably. "He's not exactly pleasant, is he?"

"Harry, don't pay attention to what that-" she said a few colorful words that Harry was sure her mother would faint if she heard her youngest child using them "-says, he's just angry that you beat him in everything and are so much more likeable than him." Harry's heart swelled with pride when she said those last words.

"Thanks. D'you want some punch?" Harry felt extremely stupid. _I sound completely pathetic. _

"Sure. Here, let me help you." Ginny offered. With Harry's help, they brought a small tray-full of drinks over to the table.

"Drink up," Ginny cheered. She settled herself in the chair next to Hermione, and waited for Harry to sit down. As he took his drink from a blushing Ginny, he made a mental note to ask her to dance during the next slow song.

Hermione entertained the group for the next fifteen minutes by telling them about her encounter with Pansy, who, to her delight, had not been able to get the accursed sweater off in time for the ball.

"-So then she goes, 'You...you..' and I say, 'Witch?' and then she starts jumping up and down in a fit. And, when I tell her she won't be able to get it off for a while, she goes this brilliant shade of purple."

Hermione smiled to herself as Ron says in awe, "Wow, 'Mione. Remind me never to make you angry."

At that point, Dumbledore took the stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome you to this year's Yule ball. I think these lovely ladies deserve a round of applause-" he gestured to the group of blonde witches that made up Charmed, who giggled loudly, "-and, by request, they will be performing a little something by Kelly Clarkson." The crowd cheered, and the lights dimmed.

_Bugger, _thought Harry. _I didn't mean the very first dance...oh, well. Now or never._

_"_Ginny...er, d'you want to dance?" He waited.

"Sure," she said softly. He breathed out a sigh of relief, then took her hand and led her out on the floor next to Ron and Hermione. To his surprise, Ron seemed to be quite skilled at dancing, or at least, dancing with Hermione. Her head was resting on his shoulder, and when she saw them, she waved.

"Hi Harry, Ginny. Having fun?"

"I am now," Ginny replied. Harry felt his face flush. Ginny took Hermione's lead, and rested her arms around Harry's neck. _I can't believe that we're dancing with Harry Potter, _the little voice in her befuddled mind screamed joyfully. _I know, isn't it great? _She sighed happily into Harry's shoulder. The noise startled him, and he looked down at her with a questioning smile.

"Gin? Anything you want to share?" She grinned at him, but didn't say anything. Instead they listened to the words of the song they were dancing to.

'**A moment like this**

**Some people wait a lifetime**

**For a moment like this**

**Some people search forever**

**For that one special kiss**

**Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me**

**Some people wait a lifetime**

**For a moment like this**'

Ginny thought for a couple of minutes, then looked up at Harry again. Her brown eyes shone as she said softly, "I think they already said it for me."

_Oh my God, did Ginny Weasley say what I think she did? _Harry thought wildly, trying to contain his joy. _I think she did. _

'**Could this be the greatest love of all**

**I wanna know that you will catch me when I fall**

**So let me tell you this...**

**Some people wait a lifetime**

**For a moment like this**

**Some people spend two lifetimes**

**For a moment like this**

**Some people search forever**

**For that one special kiss**

**Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me**

**Some people wait a lifetime**

**For a moment like this**'

As the lights slowly brightened, Harry's heart dropped. He hadn't exactly told Ginny, face-to-face, how he felt about her. _Even I don't know. _He looked down at the girl in his arms, and tried to say something to her. But the words wouldn't come. He slowly leaned down and kissed her gently. When they pulled apart, Ginny was shocked.

For a minute Harry was worried that he'd done something wrong, but when she smiled and pulled him back for another kiss he decided that he didn't have to wait a lifetime. It was a moment like this that he'd wondered about for seven years, wondering if he'd ever fall in love. He smiled to himself when he felt certain that he liked sharing it with Ginny.

* * *

**A/N: **By the way, these are the names of the songs and who they're sung by:

"Miss Independent" Kelly Clarkson

"A Chance" Kenney Chesney

"Cowboy Take Me Away" Dixie Chicks

"Unbelievable" Diamond Rio

"I Can Love You Like That" John Michael Montgomery

"Someday" Vince Gill

"A Moment Like This" Kelly Clarkson


End file.
